The NFL extended its contract with Twitter, signing a two-year deal to bring more pro football highlights to the social networking company and increase interactivity.
Twitter plans on using the NFL as part of its strategy to emphasize big, live events. Already the NFL enjoys Facebook and YouTube interface, which help increase its digital reach.
The two-year agreement represents the NFL’s first multi year contract with the popular online messaging company. According to the website, the move is part of Twitter’s “Project Lightning” gambit, which will highlight big, popular events taking place during real time—like NFL football games. The feeds will also generate behind-the-scenes videos and highlights of the games.
Twitter aims to sell advertising space independent of the NFL, but will share revenues with the league. Jay Busbee of Yahoo Sports views the mutually beneficial transaction as a chance for Twitter to expand its audience and for the NFL to increase its attention grab of everyone in America and eventually the entire planet.
On top of that Busbee writes, “It’s like being in a sports bar with the entire country, except that the people on Twitter are much funnier than anyone at your local sports bar, and less likely to steal your wings and ‘forget’ to pay for their share of the tab.”
Forbes magazine reported on Monday, that Twitter founder and interim CEO Jack Dorsey scooped up more than 31,000 shares of stock, or $875,000 worth, jacking up per-share price 7.8% to $29.17.
Glenn Brown, who oversees Twitter’s content partnerships, released a statement saying, “Over the past two years, NFL content on Twitter has seen best-in-class user engagement rates, and the expanded partnership will bolster the fan experience on the platform.”
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